The locally built 500-ton Tuo Jiang was delivered to the Taiwanese Navy from shipbuilder Lung Teh Shipbuilding at the harbor of Su-ao in a Tuesday ceremony.

“With the completion of this new-generation warship, Taiwan’s naval combat capabilities have reached a milestone,” Taiwan’s Minister of Defense Yen Ming said during the ceremony.
“The Tuo Jiang is the fastest and most powerful vessel of its kind in Asia, and underscores the Navy’s success in implementing the national policy of creating a self-sustaining defense.”

Taiwan has said it wants to purchase up to a dozen of the corvettes that can travel at speeds in excess of 40 knots and will likely be armed with a domestic supersonic anti-ship missile.

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About Sam LaGrone

Sam LaGrone is the USNI Online Editor at the U.S. Naval Institute.
He was formerly the U.S. Maritime Correspondent for the Washington D.C. bureau of Jane’s Defence Weekly and Jane’s Navy International. In his role he covered legislation, acquisition and operations for the Sea Services and spent time underway with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and the Canadian Navy.
Sam is a 2003 graduate of Virginia Military Institute.

Which I think the LCS in it’s current form is nothing more than a US Coast Guard Medium Endurance cutter painted Haze grey.. It’s why the US Navy needs to start looking at Navalizing the National Security cutter design

Secundius

@ Nicky.

I was just checking around and stumbled on a possible INDEPENDENCE class LCS to Fast Frigate upgrade. These are the stat’s I could obtain.

I would think the UK because we can make a trade deal where they buy the F-35B and pay half of the development cost and in return the US will buy and pay for the development cost of the Type 26 Global combat ship. It would be a win-win for both countries.

Secundius

@ Nicky.

But Canada is also going to get the F-35 and their much closer…

Secundius

@ Nicky.

I have nothing against the UK and their Navy and their F-35 fighter acquisition program. But there are other nations in the F-35 acquisition “boat” and at least three of them build there ship’s in the USN. “hull pattern”. Japan, Spain and South Korea…

Secundius

@ Nicky & The_Universal_Curmudgeon.

I post this to the two of you, because it makes things easier. Back in May 2004, the Bush Presidential Administration offered to sell Updated versions of the BARBEL II SSK to the Republic of China’s Government. But by 26 May 2004, the deal fell through. But somehow “reverse engineered” copies of the Netherlands Navy, ZWAARDVIS (Swordfish) class SSK found the way into ROC Government hands. Now called the HAI LUNG (Sea Dragon) class SSK…

The Barbell’s would have been perfect for Taiwan. All the US would have to do is give Taiwan the Blueprints and the US would supervise the construction.

Secundius

@ Nicky.

I agree, I like the fact that the BARBEL had a 19,000-nm. cruising range. But I think what killed the ROC/USA deal was after all said and done. The Barbel was a 45-year old hull design and the ROC wanted something Newer (the new car smell)…

Not sure why they are buy OHP’s when they have these things – unless the OHP’s are going to be for ASW and missile sponge duty only.

Chang William

We buy OHP for some reason:

1.) We still have some very old ship (e.g. Knox-class frigate) which powered by a steam boiler, which should be replaced within years.

2.) Those OHP was intending to focus on anti-submarine.

Secundius

@ Chang William.

There are NO Active and/or Reserve Units, still operating the KNOX class Frigates in the USN…

Michael Rich

He’s talking about Taiwan.

Secundius

@ Michael Rich.

Read his comment again, it clearly states WE STILL HAVE SOME VERY OLD SHIP. Not the Taiwanese…

Michael Rich

We have them, but we don’t operate them. Unless he is implying we are operating them.

Secundius

@ Michael Rich.

The oldest Active ship in the US. Navy inventory is the Sailing Frigate USS. Constitution. But when was the last time it made either an ACTIVE or RESERVE patrol, not for at least 200-years…

Secundius

@ Michael Rush.

The first statement sound like a big IF to me, he’s neither confirming or denying their usage. There are allot of ship’s in the fleet that still use Steam-Turbines, including Nuclear-Powered vessels…

twphision

In fact, Taiwan can build battle ship same level of Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates. Why do they still buy those old ship? buy why US never want sell submarines that Taiwan real need?

Secundius

@ twphision.

Probably because the four OHP class ship’s are already built. Instead of waiting 12 to 18-months to build one from “scratch”. A “stop gap” buy…

twphision

How about submarines? US has said that they will sell 8 submarines to Taiwan since Bush has agreement. Are they still “Scratching”? You know China submarine has already visit sneaky around Guam and Philippine US base maybe. Taiwan has good position for sonar monitor.

The_Universal_Curmudgeon

As did Mr. Bush, you appear to have forgotten that the United States of America no longer builds those obsolete (just ask the USN) diesel/electric submarines and it was those obsolete (just ask the USN) diesel/electric submarines that Mr. Bush promised to sell the Taiwanese.

Secundius

The_Universal_Curmundgeon.

That probably why “diesel/electric” are going Stirling…

The_Universal_Curmudgeon

The USN isn’t building ANY type of non-nuclear “combat” submarine.

PS – Neither the US government nor any American company has the “intellectual property rights” to the only proven Sterling AIP system – that is held (depending on whose lawyers you listen to) by either the Swedes or the Germans.

Secundius

@ The_Universal_Curmudgeon.

I’m well aware that the USN isn’t building any Submarines with Stirling AIP propulsion systems. Maybe the should. As far as “intellectual property rights”, how can you have property rights on a 199-year old system. And there are Stirling AIP power systems all over the United States, as “back-up” emergency power generation systems…

Secundius

@ The_Universal_Curmundgeon.

According to, The Diplomat, April 15, 2014 edition. It’s not a US. sale, but a US. assisted build within Taiwan Shipyards and assisting in acquiring SSK’s from either Australia, Germany, Japan, South Korea or Sweden…

Secundius

@ The_Universal_Curmudgeon.

In 2004, the United States made a request from Sweden to use one of their GOTLAND class SSK, for wargames and the study of the Stirling AIP Propulsion System. The submarine was leased to the USN in 21 March 2005 and was suppose last one-year. It was later extended to two-years, then returned to Sweden in July of 2007. The other submarine producing countries refused to sell submarines to Taiwan, because of mount pressure from the PRC. I suspect in one of those two-years of the Gotland’s lease period. The submarine was “reverse engineered” by the US. in order to produce the submarine in Taiwan by there own shipbuilders. To circumvent the refusal of international sales directly to Taiwan…

Curtis Conway

The Taiwanese build their own (8). To buy ready made platforms helps get for numbers up quickly, which will be upgraded with indigenous systems. China’s pulling its hair out and wants us to stop, while they press on acting like an aggressor in the East China Sea and South China Sea encroaching on other countries ECZs. If the ROC upgrades these vessels as Australia did with Mk41 VLS & ESSM and a new radar they will have a force that will be more than just a force to contend with.

James Bowen

Taiwan has supersonic anti-ship missiles? Wow, I don’t know why they want to import weaponry from us when it sounds like their own is better.

Secundius

@ James Bowen.

The United States is testing ArcLight, a Advanced Supersonic Extreme Long Range Anti-Shipping Missile system. With a claimed range of 2,000-miles with a flight time of on 30-minutes…

James Bowen

I have not heard about this. Where can I read more?

Secundius

@ James Bowen.

Try Defense-Update period com. Sorry that it’s wriiten like this, because the last time I posted a “source site” it got reddit’d.

James Bowen

This is interesting, thanks for the update.

This is a great idea, but I must say that I question the Navy’s enthusiasm here. This article is 4 years old, and the requirement for this missile existed years, if not decades, ago.

Secundius

@ James Bowen.

I agree with you, many on the forum have had the comment reddit’d. Which beckons the question, who are they afraid of…

James Bowen

Yes, it sure does.

James B.

If these are a good value, can the US Navy buy some?

Rob C.

Problem is its very short legged, its a coastal corvette. It won’t have the range to do international deployments. It has zero anti-air defenses aside from the Phalanx and possible hand held missiles. SA’AR 4 or the slightly expensive Sa’ar 5-class corvette are more rounded for the US Navy’s need except their properly will end up too expensive due to way our economy is setup.

Secundius

@ Rob C.

Believe it or not. But the SA’AR-5 class was designed and built in the United States…

twphision

With more and more Chinese pressure, Taiwan navy will need Arleigh Burke class destroyer and submarines to keep the area military balance.

Mike

The OP should know China’s Navy is China’s and Taiwan’s Navy is Taiwan’s… *FACE PALM*

mike

“republic of china” = official name of democratic taiwan
“people’s republic of china” = official name of communist china

it is very confusing especially to people who dont know the history of china and taiwan. they should change taiwan’s name to just taiwan or republic of taiwan.

Secundius

@ mike.

I recognize Taiwan as the ROC, the Republic of China. But that only me…

mike

i don’t understand your comment.

Secundius

@ mike.

The ROC, is an acronym for the Republic of China (Taiwan). It’s self Explanatory. It needs no explanation…

Secundius

@ mike.

I’m an American, who just happens to live in the United States of America. I have Taiwanese friend’s who call themselves “Taiwanese”, but just happen to live in the Republic of China. Just that simple…

Rob C.

This is straight up Fast Attack Craft than a actual corvette. Not its a bad idea, but it good for a few things, lunging large quantity of anti-ship missiles, screening,against the smaller vessels and providing anti-submarine support via its Helo it carries. I think the Helo hanger is properly what tips over being a corvette. The ship need better anti-air defense since that biggest threat to ships these days. Phalanx CIWS going shoot down some of the missiles, maybe really small craft, but not against aircraft. It will need a bigger ship giving it some anti-air support of some kind.

Secundius

Of what little I can see of the “bow” of the ship. It look like an Ambassador Mk. IV class PBM…

old guy

Let’s see: STEALTH= NO Wake, NO satellite profile, NO GPS track, NO bioluminescence generation, etc. just like the DD1000. Oh, you mean that they don’t have that capability? Then the only time that it will be StTEALTHY is after it’s SUNK (or dismantled).

TechMojo

I visited Taiwan last year and walked up next to a couple of corvettes they had docked at Punghu Island. I don’t know the age of those ships but from the looks of the hull plates they are old. some of the plates show quite a bit of convex ingress from years of being pounded in by the sea waves